For the second consecutive season, Morehead State women's golf's Gypsie Hutchinson captured medalist honors at the season-opening 36-Hole Individual Invitational at Eagle Trace. The senior teamed with sophomore Sarah Black and freshman MacKenzie Neal to give the Eagles three top-five finishers in the event.
"I'm excited for Gypsie to begin the fall with a victory on her home course, as well as having both Sarah and MacKenzie fight back in their second round to climb to third," said head coach Stephanie Barker.
Hutchinson grasped the lead early in the day, firing a one-over-par 73 in the event's opening round. Not willing to relinquish her hold on the top spot, she bested her tournament-low round by shaving a stroke off her total in the second round, fashioning a tournament-low 72 (E). Hutchinson finished with a 36-hole total of 145, giving her a six-stroke advantage for the event.
Also placing in the top-five, Black and Neal manufactured identical two-round totals of 153 to claim a share of third place. Black opened the event with a first-round 78 before shooting a final round 75 to finish nine-over par. Neal-in her first collegiate action-opened with a 79 before closing with a second-round 74.
Morehead State placed an additional two golfers in the event's top-10 as sophomore Isabella Washka and freshman Hailey Rietz finished tied for seventh and 10th, respectively. Washka fired an opening-round 82 before wrapping the event with a final round 80 (162, +18). Rietz-also seeing her first collegiate action-fashioned scores of 86-80-166 (+22), shaving six strokes in the final round.
Sophomore Elise Alaan concluded the event tied for 11th, marking in scores of 84-83-167 (+23) while freshman Alina-Sophie Koch wrote down scores of 86-87-173 (+29) in her first collegiate action. Redshirt junior Bridget Connolly also competed for the Eagles, fashioning a 77 in the opening round before withdrawing.
"We have quite a few positives to build on for our Greenbrier event next month," continued Barker. "Eagle Trace played tough today, but I'm proud of how all of our Eagles handled themselves throughout the day."
Morehead State returns to the course for its first team event in mid-September, hosting the MSU Greenbrier Classic for the second consecutive season. The two-day, 54-hole event tees off from Greenbrier Country Club in Lexington, Ky. on Sep. 16 and 17.
